1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an air bag which is inflatable for restraining an occupant of a vehicle during a collision. More particularly, the invention relates to folding an air bag in a manner to improve the deployment thereof.
Typically, an air bag cushion is folded and supported on the steering wheel or dashboard of a vehicle. When the air bag is to be inflated, high pressure gas from an inflator is caused to flow therein through a gas inlet opening or mouth thereof. This causes the air bag to unfold and inflate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Upon vehicle impact in a collision, top mounted air bag cushions, that is, those mounted near the top of the dashboard, tend to deploy high in the vehicle compartment and tend also to deploy with great velocity at the passenger's head. More specifically, as most air bag cushions deploy, the pressure in-the cushion spikes to a high pressure initially. The high pressure ejects the folded cushion out of the air bag module with great velocity. This results in the cushion slapping the passenger as it unfolds. Such "slapping" of the passenger, particularly when an out-of-position child, with the cushion material could cause skin abrasions, excessive neck extension, and increase head injury criteria values.
Thus, there is a need and a demand for alleviating and/or correcting this problem so that the air bag cushion has a lower velocity deployment which results in elimination or reduction in "bag slap" injuries.